My New Toy - Nikon D60

Recently, I developed an interest in nature photography particular in birds. I had been using my Panasonic Lumix FZ20. Using it was alright, but you need to get relatively close to the subject in order to have a nice shot. And birds being birds, they tend to fly off the moment you stand too close to them. Even though it comes with 12X optical zoom and 48X digital zoom it's still not sufficient to take nice shots if the subject is high up on the tree or too far away. That's why recently I had been searching for a third party teleconverter lens to attach to it. But the market in Singapore is so saturated with lenses by either Canon or Nikon. And I am afraid that if I buy a third party lens, it might not fit too well to my Lumix. So I decided to get a DSLR instead. But its still quite a headache because I wasn't sure which brand to buy. Most of my friends I asked said Canon. Even most of the award-winning photos in the BBC Wildlife Photo competition used Canon. So how?

Today was the second day of the IT Fair. So I decided to head down there to check-it out, hoping to get a good deal. Gosh... it was so crowded. I went to the Canon booth first. After looking about and checking what they had to offer for DSLR I decided to move on because it was too crowded there and like no salesperson to entertain you. I next headed to the Nikon booth. I took a copy of their advertisement to see what's available. They had this Coolpix P5100 at $549. This model is featured in an advertisement in BBC Wildlife magazine showing it attached to a telescopic lens. This was one of the reason why I decided to buy Nikon. I wasn't sure whether Canon cameras are able to do that. This model supports lens converter. So, I asked the saleman what sort of lens converter can it support and he said he didn't know. He told me that if I am not familiar with a DSLR, it's best that take this. But I was more interested with the type of lens converter it can support. I didn't want buy it and then later find that it cannot support the teleconverter lens that I wanted. So, I decided to tryout a DSLR.

The model I tried first was D80 because this one got a really good deal. The kit costs $1888 and it comes with one wide- angle lens and one teleconverter lens. After trying it out, I asked the salelady which model was good for a beginner. Then she introduced me D40 and D60. I chose D60 because it is new. But then I didn't know whether to buy P5100 or D60. She told me that since I had a semi-SLR before, I should take a full SLR. In this case I was still having difficulty whether to buy D60 or D80. In the end, after much deep thought I chose D60.

The D60 kit cost $1188 and comes with a AF-S VR 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G ED wide-angle lens. If I wanted a teleconverter lens I had to pay $199 for an AF-S 55-200mm VR lens which is equivalent to 10X zoom. This was the first time that I bought a camera in the IT Fair. My... it came with a number of free gifts too - a 2GB SD card, screen protector, card reader, cloth, Nikon bag, Lenspen Klear and a tripod. The salelady even threw in a battery for me.

I hope I didn't regret buying this.

In Bloom

It's the time of the year again when this huge, tall yellow flame tree (Peltophorum pterocarpum) in front of my block is decked with all her fineries and starts to flower. My mother dubbed it as the 'Singapore Sakura'. But that term actually belongs to another tree.

Anyway, doesn't it looked like it's up in flame? And all her suitors - butterflies, bees and sunbirds - will take this opportunity to cash in on the bonanza of nectar and pollen. The tree is supposed to have a beautiful umbrella shape. But, unfortunately one or two years ago, the left side got burnt due to burning of incense paper during one of the funeral wake. This resulted in the 'lobang' you see on the left of the tree. Nonetheless, its still the yellow flame with the most luxuriant bloom I had seen so far. Since, the window of my bedroom faces it, I am able to see its splendor for the next 1 week or so, twice yearly :)

Close-up of the flowers

The flowers fallen onto the ground. Doesn't it looked like the ground is covered with gold? Hahaha... But pity the roadsweeper. He needs to sweep away those that dropped on the pathway.

The towering yellow flame tree

FFI

Went to my reservist unit today for my FFI (Fit for Infantry) - IPPT phase I review. All servicemen >35 years old had to do this to make sure that you will not collapse and die after completing the 2.4 km run of the IPPT. This was the second part of the FFI. The first part was about a month ago. Oh... what a waste of time that was. After making all the way to the unit, all they did was take 2 tubes of blood for lab investigation. The appointment the unit gave me was 8 a.m. I had to wake up at 6 a.m. that day as the unit was very far from where I stay.... arrghh!! I think the medical centre should upgrade to using syringe for the vacutainer system. They are still using the conventional needle and syringe. Then after taking the blood, they pump into the vacutainers. Sigh... he took so much blood from me and the excees was thrown away... arrgghhh. What's more my vein was so prominent and yet he had some difficulty drawing blood. He had to 'fish' about before he was able to get a free flow. And all the while while he was 'fishing' I was staring at it. I got a blue-black that lasted for about a week.

Today's appointment was in the afternoon. As I reached Yishun MRT station quite early I decided to roam about a bit going to Northpoint and Golden Village Yishun 10. Even though Singapore is not a very big country, there are still places that I seldom go. Yishun is one such place. Unless I had reservist, its unlikely that I'll set foot on it. However, as I walked about I started to reminisce about my days when I was serving NS. I spent about 2 years of my life in Yishun area as my unit then was also near Yishun. Sometimes during our given night offs, me and a group of my army friends would go to Northpoint to eat or walk about. Otherwise, we would go to Golden Village Yishun 10 to catch a movie. Golden Village Yishun 10 was the first multi-screen cineplex in Singapore. However, as more and more cineplexes appeared, it is now no longer what it used to be. With dipping attendance rate some of its theatres were rented out. Nowadays, it is also screening Bollywood movies. Well, yes... as I was walking about I was thinking about the times I spent with them. After NS, I had lost contact of the majority of them... sigh.

Anyway, back to my FFI. For this time round, I had my blood pressure taken, BMI calculated, urinalysis and ECG done. Talk about urinalysis. I was expecting it as I saw the medic getting ready a dipstix. But, I didn't expect him to ask me to pee right over the dipstix. I was a bit surprised. I thought I would be given a urine bottle. Hey... I work in a lab and we use urine containers. It was a bit like cultural shock initially. But, as I think about it this is also a good way to save the environment. So, I managed to wet the dipstix with my urine, put the it inside the sleeve provided and handed it over to him. The final thing to do was to see the MO.

My result? I passed my FFI lor. Don't know what will happen if I fail it. No IPPT? Anyway, I was deemed cardiovascularly fit. But my chloresterol level is slightly high leh, including my LDL. How hah? My HDL is also high. Must watch my diet liao which I think is very difficult....sigh.

Elan Sneaker In Damier Canvas

Went to the LV outlet at Ngee Ann City hoping to check out this pair of sneakers from its 2008 Spring/Summer collection. I searched high and low but couldn't find it on display. I asked this security man whom I thought was a saleman. When he saw the design in the catalogue I was holding, he said that it was selling like hot cakes for the past few weeks. When I got the chance to ask the salesman there, he told me that this design already sold out and most likely no new stocks would be arriving. When I heard that I felt kind of depressed. This was the second pair of shoes that I missed out. The other time was also a pair of sneakers from last year's Spring/Summer collection.

The last hope I had was the outlet at Hilton's Hotel which also sells shoes. When I went there I searched high and low for it again but didn't see it. So I approached this saleslady. When I asked her whether this design was available, she told me that it hadn't arrived. I thought finally I had a glimmer of hope. But that thought lasted a few seconds. I told her that this design already sold out at Ngee Ann City's outlet. Then she replied that if that was so, then most likely their outlet wouldn't have it also since Ngee Ann City's had a wider range of designs compared to theirs. So, with a heavy heart I left.

Lesson learnt: never wait too long for something that you really like. Otherwise, you will lost it.

Let's hope I would be able to find it in other countries that I will be visiting (fingers crossed).

In your opinion, do you think this design is nice?

元宵节快乐

那么快元宵节到了. 等了一年, 今年的农历新年就这样过了. 家里还有一大堆的新年小吃. 不懂几时才能吃完. 今年新加波很想没有什么庆祝. 春到河畔迎新年比晚年早结束... 初十吧, 如果没记错. 可能新加波比较关心她是否能够举办2010青年奥运会. 我在家看到成绩揭晓.... 新加波打败莫司哥. 这很想大伟对垒巨人.不能举办夏季奥运会, 举办一个青年奥运会也算不错.... 没鱼虾也好. 我呢? 今晚得职夜班. 所以吃了晚餐, 休息一下就出门上班了... 唉.

好啦... 元宵节快乐 :)

Today is the 15th day and last day of the Lunar New Year (Chap Go Meh)... so fast. There's still lots of New Year goodies at home. I wonder when will we finish eating them. It seems relatively quiet this year. RiverHong Bao ended earlier this year... 10th day of the Chinese New Year I think. Maybe Singapore is more interested in knowing whether she managed to outbid Moscow to hold the inaugural Youth Olympics in 2010. Its like David versus Goliath... Singapore so small and Russia huge. I was able to witness the IOC announce the winner. Singapore managed to win the right to host. It's not possible for Singapore to hold the Summer Olympics, so to host the Youth Olympics is also not that bad...no fish, prawn also good.

As for me, tonight I need to work night shift. So after dinner, a short rest and off to work... sigh.

Anyway, Happy 'Chap Go Meh' :)

Nothing to Crow About

Crows are very smart bird with very good memory. There's this one crow. I didn't know when or how we crossed path. Everytime I stepped out of my flat, as long as I was in its territory it would fly very low, like wanted to peck at me and calling loudly. It had wonderful eyesight also. No matter how far away it was, whenever it saw me, it would fly to the tree overhead and taunt me with its call. Once, I was standing in a small garden taking photos of the butterfly there. It flew to the tree overhead and kept calling. What's worst it even broke some small branches and threw them down. It never hit me of course. Its really getting on my nerve. So everytime I had to be very alert in order that it didn't have any chance to peck at me. I think God answered my prayer. A few days ago the crow-shooting people came. Since then I had not met that irritating crow. Even this morning they came. I was awakened by their shooting...gosh. Hopefully it was the last that I saw and heard of that crow.

Valentine's Day

Hmmm... Valentine's Day. Is it really that special a day? People in love go to eat, give each other flowers or gifts. Don't they do that on other days? Why they need to pay extra for the food they eat or the roses they are giving just because somebody designated 14 Feb as Valentine's Day? Will the food be extra nice on this day? Or the roses extra red or smell special?

Anyway.... I was reading today's article in 'Our Daily Bread' and came across what the author's friend dubbed "the best love note she had ever received". It is from John 3:16...
For God so loVed the world

That He gAve

His onLy

BegottEn

SoN,

That whoever

Believes In Him

Shall Not perish

But have Everlasting life.

That's how much God loves us. His love for us will never change, whether its Valentine's Day or not.